Maybe I'm an old fossil but I think this is all hot air. Most people don't care. A few years ago, this was a hot topic. At the time I read a book (I think it was SF) and the misguided author used s/he throughout to be politically correct. It was a torture to read. Remember the uproar over the term master/slave as used in computing? I thought engineers were above such silliness.

God/Goddess help us if "they" ever learn about male/female connectors.

In conjunction with unveiling of EE Times’ Silicon 60 list, journalist & Silicon 60 researcher Peter Clarke hosts a conversation on startups in the electronics industry. One of Silicon Valley's great contributions to the world has been the demonstration of how the application of entrepreneurship and venture capital to electronics and semiconductor hardware can create wealth with developments in semiconductors, displays, design automation, MEMS and across the breadth of hardware developments. But in recent years concerns have been raised that traditional venture capital has turned its back on hardware-related startups in favor of software and Internet applications and services. Panelists from incubators join Peter Clarke in debate.